Floor Exercise

Floor Exercise, or more commonly known as floor, is one of the six apparatuses in men’s gymnastics. It is one of the more famous apparatuses because it was the first to be introduced, in 1936.  

I especially enjoy the front tumbling passes on floor. Front passes include flips in the forward direction, and anything that is done while moving forward excluding roundoffs. Back passes include all skills that move backwards, so back tucks (back flips), back handsprings, and other stuff of the sort. It also includes roundoffs, which are cartwheels, but you end on both feet. I personally do not enjoy back passes because I had a pretty good one but then I lost it for no apparent reason.  

Flexibility is something that is very important for any apparatus, but mostly for floor. The reason flexibility is crucial is because people have non-tumbling passes that include splits, Ls, and circles. Something else that is very important for non-tumbling passes is balance. If you do not have balance, then you can’t complete many skills that are needed for floor.

As a gymnast myself I recently competed in the North Carolina state meet. For floor I was most nervous about my back tumbling which I had freshly lost, but during the routine I realized that I didn’t need to be embarrassed about it. After that realization I was worried about landing my butterfly, which was a skill I has only recently learned.  

To finish off I would like to say to any future gymnasts: “Don’t feel ashamed about any skills you do or don’t have.”

Straddle L Picture: Here